RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Giant Turkey Meatballs

Thanks to Caithleen Heffernan at www.thebikinimodelcookbook.com for the YUMMY

Giant Turkey Meatballs Recipe:

Meatballs make a great snack food. You can throw together a HUGE batch and eat them for the week. They are easily portable and go well with fresh veggie sticks. If made with the right ingredients than they are little bundles of amazing flavor that will get you lean fast. I recommend ultra lean ground turkey, beef or bison for meatballs. Any thing goes and you can spice these babies up any way you like! I switch up this recipe so many different ways with different herbs, spices and vegetables. I usually throw mine into a plastic Ziploc bag with a small yam and some sliced veggies.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. extra lean ground turkey
• 3 egg whites
• 1⁄2 cup old-fashioned oats, uncooked
• 1⁄2 cup red onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp. fresh ginger, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup fresh basil or cilantro, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup zucchini, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 Jalapeno pepper, chopped (leave the seeds in if you like it spicy)
• 1⁄2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1⁄4 tsp. Epicure black pepper, or to taste
• 1⁄4 tsp. Epicure sea salt (optional)
• 1⁄4 tsp. red chili pepper flakes or Epicure Crushed Chilies (optional)
• Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a large bowl combine the ground turkey, egg whites and oatmeal through to red chili pepper flakes. Using your hands work the vegetables, egg whites, oatmeal and herbs and spices into the meat.
3. On a pan coated with cooking spray, separate the meat into 7 fists sized meatballs. Cook for 45 minutes or until cooked through.

Makes 7 servings: Serving size = 1 giant meatball.

Calories per serving: 192, Protein: 33.0g, Carbohydrates: 7.8g, Fat: 3.0g